What are my purchase options on a "designer guitar"?

[shadowcat]

Yeah, there's nothing exactly like that available as a std model.

There are plenty of dealers in the US who'll help out on international Custom orders (Matt is a damn fine place to start), and if you need to keep the costs down, maybe order one through the JacksonStars 'limited custom option' facility (in Japan).

That's what I thought as well... try ordering a JacksonStars semi-custom. Your design is very basic except for the colour, it shouldn't cost you an arm and a leg to get it done.

You basically take an existing production model from the JacksonStars catalog but add your modifications.
The SL-J2B would be appropriate:

http://www.jacksonstars.com/slj2_j2k.html

Only modifications would be the reverse headstock and the finish.

You would have to order it through a japanese dealer (I ordered mine through Ishibashi). Since purple isn't listed as an available finish, they'd have to check if it is possible.
However I got my RR-J1B in trans-green as well without problems, though that one isn't listed either.

If you think that is an option for you, do a search in the import forum for "Jackson Stars" to learn more.

[Davey]

i've seen an AT-1 on sale localy (went for around 1200) though it wasnt realy purple, it looked purplish.. but it had diferent inlays and the pointy 3+3 headstock.. and not realy string through.. so i doubt it's something you were looking for =P

[toejam]

Carvin.

[Newc]

The miniscule amount of extra sustain between stringthrough and trem is immeasurable. You're playing Metal, I presume? Lots of High Gain amps?
Trust me when I say you will not notice any difference in sustain between a trem and non-trem model **as long as it is set up properly**

And you can always get an existing flametop stringthrough model in Natural and have it refinished.

[sk8boardbob2]

Carvin doesnt do the point headstock or sharkfins.

[toejam]

Carvin doesnt do the point headstock or sharkfins.

Carvin will still do the second version of the pointy headstock, just not the Jackson-style headstock. They have a lot of "hidden" options they don't list on their site or in the catalog.